BLACKWATER PARK

Deservedly cited amongst the works of genius in the world of heavy music, Opeth's 'Blackwater Park' stands out as one of the most apprehensive and innovative works of the 21st century, not only cementing the Swedish band's place as virtually the leading progressive metal act of its time, but also expanding the scope of their music, allowing for the masterful blend of progressive influences to infiltrate the otherwise unapproachable universe of extreme metal. With the inclusion of Steven Wilson as a producer for the album, Opeth had indicated a desire to expand the possibilities of their brand of progressive metal, offering the most eclectic and unpredictable album of their discography, also breaking into the mainstream and receiving international recognition. But what makes 'Blackwater Park' really special is the careful attention to each single element making up the album, the harmonious pacing of the record, which introduces both rampant riffs and ridiculous growls as well as some incredibly beautiful acoustic episodes elevated by the perfected clean vocal performance of band leader Mikael Åkerfeldt and the additional vocals of Porcupine Tree's very own Steven Wilson, or in other words - a match made in heaven.

'The Leper Affinity' is the first of eight tracks on the album, opening up with a ferocious section reminiscent in parts of 'Still Life' and featuring some of the tightest and grooviest playing on 'Blackwater Park', transitioning into an acoustic middle section quite organically, before returning to the monumental main riff. This track closes off with a majestic and unnerving piano section, played by Wilson, the first clear indication of the new direction of Opeth. The pristine sound, rich production and unconventional, challenging structures of the songs are among the criteria applicable to this modern-day masterwork, and each track on the album portrays how far-reaching the collaboration between the band and Wilson is, including the chilling second track 'Bleak' with its massive, drooling sound and the sublime section with clean vocals. 'Harvest' then seems to be the manifestation of folk-rock influences upon Åkerfeldt, quite an enchanting song followed by another 10-minute piece, 'The Drapery Falls'. This one offers a fantastic variation of the prog-meets-extreme metal collision, while the darkness of 'Dirge for November' makes it one of the cathartic songs on the album, definitely a highlight. 'The Funeral Portrait' impresses with its classic metal riffing and groove, while 'Patters in the Ivy' gracefully leads the listener the closing track 'Blackwater Park', the culmination of the entire fifth studio album by Opeth, the most compelling and extreme piece of music on here, from the wicked opening section, through the spacious and hypnotizing silent part, to the return to the heavy conclusion, this almost works like the most complete representation of what this album is all about.

Of course, we would judge a classic album from the 70s and a classic album from the 2000s by different measures, for which a modern album would have to break the boundaries of the traditional structures of music and offer innovative and expansive twists to the compositions and the overall sound of a genre. 'Blackwater Park' does exactly this with grace and confidence, the result of the excellent collaboration between Opeth and co-producer Steven Wilson - this is a phenomenal album with a brilliant structure and a great sound, every aspect of which has been perfected to serve the whole. One of the seminal albums of progressive metal and by far the most evocative work of the Swedish legends.

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